{"id":34696,"date":"2019-10-24T09:24:18","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T09:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/eu\/?p=34696"},"modified":"2019-10-29T08:28:49","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T08:28:49","slug":"ciisec-warns-organisations-are-at-risk-due-to-lack-of-diversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/eu\/2019\/10\/24\/ciisec-warns-organisations-are-at-risk-due-to-lack-of-diversity\/","title":{"rendered":"CIISec warns organisations are at risk due to lack of diversity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The IT security industry is still failing to attract workers beyond a highly limited demographic, the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) has warned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless it can embrace greater diversity \u2013 in gender, age, ethnicity, disabilities and experience \u2013 it will face a stagnating workforce and be unable to keep up with a rapidly expanding skills gap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Enterprise Strategy Group<\/a>, the number of organisations reporting a problematic shortage of cybersecurity skills has increased every year since 2015. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, CIISec\u2019s survey of information security professionals showed that 89% of respondents were male and 89% were over 35; meaning the profession is still very much in the hands of older men. If the diversity issue isn\u2019t addressed, then not only security, but future development of the cybersecurity industry itself, will suffer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many organisations point to the need to develop specialist security skills as a reason for reduced diversity, as employees need the right technical background. Yet the majority of IT security professionals \u2013 65% \u2013 still believe that the best way to develop security skills is to learn on the job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, many individuals will have already developed the skills needed in security in other careers, from attention to detail and identifying unusual patterns of behaviour, to the communication skills needed to drive security awareness and behavioural change in others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe expectation that security is purely a technical subject has led to a focus only on very specific individuals to fulfil roles,\u201d said Amanda Finch, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Information Security. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if we weren\u2019t in the middle of a skills crisis increased diversity should be a priority, but the present situation makes it critical. Expanding the industry\u2019s horizons isn\u2019t only essential to make sure the industry has the skills it needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It will give a whole range of individuals the opportunity to thrive in a new career and in the long term protect the industry from stagnation by introducing more varied backgrounds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a broad industry, security has a position for every background and multiple opportunities to apply already-existing skills. For instance, a librarian may be particularly adept at, and find satisfaction in, recalling and connecting information to ensure everything is in its correct place \u2013 essential in spotting evidence of a security breach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other examples of transferable skills include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n